Crutch



CRUTCH APPLICATION FILED MAR. 5. ISIS.

Patented Mar. 1920.

/A/ VEN 70A? ,4 TTO/F/VEKS LEONARD F. TARBELL, OF DAYTON, NEW YORK.

CRUTCH.

Specification of Letters Eatent.

Patented Mar. 2, 1920.

Application filed March 5, 1919. Serial No. 280.707.

To all 'whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, LEONARD F. TARBELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dayton, in the county of Cattaraugus and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Crutches, of which the followingv is a specification.

This invention relates to crutches, and more particularly to that type of crutch having a bifurcated or forked standard and a yielding ormovable arm-piece or saddle.

One object of the invention is to provide a crutch of this sort with an arm-piece of novel construction, which is shaped to give a great degree of comfort. Another object is to mount the arm-piece on the upper ends of the standard in a novel way, such that when in use it can yield downwardly and rock or tilt so as to give the maximum degree of comfort to the user.

Other objects are to provide cushioning means of novel construction to absorb the stress due to the depression of the arm-piece and inward movement of the ends of the standard, and to return the parts to their normal position; also to form the ends of the standard and connect the arm-piece therewith so as to permit the arm-piece to be made of generous dimensions without unduly spreading apart the fork members of the staff and also to improve devices of this kind in other respects hereinafter specified and set forth in the claims.

Y In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a crutch embodying the invention.

'Fig 2 is a fragmentary sectional elevation thereof, on an enlarged scale -on line 2-2, Fig. 4.

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the position that the parts assume when in use.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view, partly in section thereof.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional elevation of the arm-piece and one of the link connections.

Fig. 6 is a lplan view, detached, of the pivot frame for the arm-piece.

In the crutch shown in the drawings, the standard A consists of a lower part or staaf 10 and bifurcated or separated upper portions yor uprights 11, 11, between which, at thevproper elevation is disposed the usual hand grip or piece 12. These parts may be of any usual or suitable construction and of themselves form no part of the present invention.

Arranged adjacent the ends of the uprights 11 is an arm-piece or saddle B. This saddle is preferably made of a single piece of sheet metal and has a top 13 which is concaved lengthwise and terminates at each end in a short, rounded, retaining spur or shoulder 14. The arm rest is also provided with depending side plates or walls 14 which are preferably substantially parallel between their ends and are deepest at the middle portions thereof, their lower edges curving upwardly and terminating in the shoulders 14.

The side plates are also preferably formed with outwardly Haring, curved shoulders or abutments 16 near each end, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 4, thus providing the armpieces with laterally enlarged end portions.

The described construction of the armpiece insures a snug, comfortable fit thereof, under the armpit of the user and the spurs 14 and shoulders 16 effectually prevent the arm-piece from slipping in either direction when in use.

The means provided for allowing a yielding and rocking or tilting motion of the arm-piece when in use are preferably constructed as follows: O, C are horns or arms which are secured by rivets or otherwise to the ends of the uprights 11, 11, and project outwardly and upwardly therefrom. These horns are preferably made of sheet metal and are U-shape in cross section so that the horns surround the outer face and both sides of each upright 11. Secured within the l-ower portion of the arm-piece is a pivot frame or member having side pieces or bars 18, 18, which are rigidly secured by rivets or otherwise to the inner faces of the sides 15 of the arm-piece. Rigidly connecting these side bars 18 are two cross rods or pivots 19 which are spaced apart, as shown. This frame strengthens the arm-piece and permits the same to be made of light, thin sheet metal. The horns C O are provided at their top or youter ends with cross rods or pivots 20, connected to which and to the pivots 19 are two links 21. Each link is preferably formed of a relatively wide piece of sheet metal and has bent ends which are removably hooked over the pivots 19 and 20, and

'tothe vertical outer wall of each horn C.

The spring'barrel is thus rem-ovably secured between the horns and is held in place by the'eXpanding action of the spring 22.

By the above described arrangement o1c the horns C, C links 21 and spring 22, the arm-piece is somounted as to .permit of a downward and upward and rocking or tilted motion. e e

When the armpiece receives the weight of 'a .person using the crutch, it will be depressed,-as shown in Fig. 3, the pivots 20 carrying with them the inner ends of the links-21. y

This section draws the upper ends of the uprights inwardly toward `each other through the pull yof the links 21, the uprights 11,11 being formed of the usual more or less elastic material, thus compressing thQSpling y22. y

When the downward pressure on the armpiece is removed the parts will at once resume the normaly positions shown in Fig. 2, duelto the elasticity of the uprights 11, 11, aided by the expansion of the spring -22.

By means of the link connectionsand the relative movability of the uprights, the armpiece is capable of a limited rocking, tilting or end to end motion, as the center of gravity of theuser changes in walking'with the crutch.` l e If desired, perforations or slots 27 may be formed around the lower edges of the arm-piece for the purpose of attaching a pad or covering thereto. n

The above described construction -produ-ces a nvery strong and desirable crutch, which is light and comfortable in use, having `few parts, all of which are inexpensive to 'manufacture Also the shape of' the horns is such that the uprights 11 do not have to be spaced apart to accommodatethe relatively long arm-piece to such a degree as to weaken the crutch, or make it clumsy in appearance.

I claim as| my invention i1.- Acrutch comprising a standard having oppositely disposed relatively movabley supporting members, an arm-piece, and links connecting saidy arm-piece Withsaid oppositely disposed supporting members, whereby 'the' arm-piece is adapted to yield vertically a'nd vrock or oscillate.

to separate said uprights, said uprights being adapted t0.yield toward each otherfan arm-piece, and links' pivoted to said `armpiece and to said-uprights andmovably suspending said arm-piece yfrom said uprights.

4.-. A .crutch comprising uprights .relatively movable toward and fromeach other, upwardly and outwardly curved hornssecured thereto, an armpiece =disposed between said horns, and links pivoted to said arm-piece and to said horns, whereby said arm-piece is capable of upward and downward andl oscillating motions ,relativelyQto said uprights.

5. A crutch comprising uprights rela tively movable l towards and vfrom "each other, upwardly and outwardly Y curved horns secured thereto, an yarm-piecedisposed 'between said horns, `links pivoted tolsaid armpiece and'to said horns, and means below said armpiece to return said uprights, armpiece and links to their normal positions.

y6. A crutch comprising uprights lrelatively movable toward and'from-each other, upwardly and outwardly curved ihorn-s secured thereto, an "armfpieceY disposed `betweeny saidhorns, links pivoted to said armpiece and-to said horns, and a horizontal telescoping member having a coil spring arranged-therein to return said uprights, armpiece and-linksv to their normalposition.

v7. A crutch 'comprising oppositely disposed relativelymovable supporting members, and an arm-piece consisting 'of a-.single piece of thin' metal of substantially U-shape cross section, a pivot'frame rigidly secured between the sides of said arm-,piece, iand links pivoted to said supporting members and to said pivot iframe. l

8. A crutch comprising oppositely disposed relatively m0vable.'supporting members, and an" arm-piece supported froml Vsaid supporting members, said arm-piece being of substantially U-shape cross section,`with its` top curving upwardly toward each-end and its sidesdepen'ding, a pivot framesecured between said sides, and link connectionsbetween said pivot frame and Said SUP- porting members. l

9. crutch comprising relatively movable 'uprights,` an` arm-piece, links 1pivoted to said uprights and pivtedto said "armpiec'e close to the 'verticalaxisofsaid armpiece, sai'd fclose arrangement ofsai'dn'last.

mentioned pivots permitting an oscillating for yieldingly resisting movement of the 10 or rocking motion of said arm-piece rela.- horns toward each other.

tively to said supporting members. Witness my hand this 3rd day of March,

l0. A crutch having supporting horns for 1919.

an arm-piece, said horns having a limited movement toward and from each other, an LEONARD F' TARBELL arm-piece, links connecting said arm-piece Witnesses: to said horns, and a telescopic barrel having M. J. PITMAN,

va spring therein disposed between said horns C. W. PARKER. 

